﻿Thanksgiving Traditions & How To Conquer Black Friday

It’s finally my favorite time of year!! The weekend of Thanksgiving is my favorite weekend of the year. Every Thanksgiving I wake up and watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in my pjs with a cup of coffee in hand. Usually, my grandparents come over and spend Thanksgiving dinner with my family of 6. We often eat mid afternoon, and typically more family and friends come over for dessert. My mom always pulls out her favorite Thanksgiving tradition – a game of questions. We all take a card that has a question on it and each person has to answer. Dessert usually follows with apple pie, chocolate pie, and icecream. Thanksgiving usually wraps up around 7 or 8, and you can find most of us sprawled out on the couch stuffed to our faces. I, however, am starting to prep for my Black Friday excursion.

I LOVE to shop (shocker). I started a tradition with my aunt and uncle when I was very young where I would go home with them after Thanksgiving dessert. We’d spend the rest of the evening watching Elf while cutting out coupons for the best deals once the stores opened. We then would make a plan of attack – where to go, what was on our list, what time we should go to each store, etc. We then would go to sleep, and wake up only a few hours later to shop the wee morning hours away. We started this tradition back when stores opened at 4am or 5am.

*I must say, as much as I love Black Friday, I think it’s outrageous stores open at 5pm or 6pm on Thanksgiving, what about all the employees?! Massachusetts has a Blue Law against stores being open on Thanksgiving – thank goodness!*

Over the years, this tradition has changed, but it has turned me into a hardcore Black Friday shopper. Below are some of my thoughts and advice on where to go, what to buy, and how to make the most of the biggest shopping day of the year!

HOW TO CONQUER BLACK FRIDAY

What to buy

Black Friday is also the best day to purchase big ticket items, such as electronics, furniture, etc.

I always make a list of what to buy before I head out. I tend to purchase most of my Christmas gifts, along with some items for myself. Below, I’ve listed the typical purchases I make at each store I visit.

Where to go

Every year I go to the same shopping area, about 20 minutes away. That area has most of the stores that I usually shop at, so it’s a no brainer! I always hit these stores:

Michaels – also always have good deals on craft supplies, and I am always crafting!

American Eagle – usually a 40% or 50% off entire purchase deal. Great spot to pick up some cute clothes for yourself or an outfit for a guy in your life! I actually went into an American Eagle the other day and scouted out what I wanted so I wouldn’t have to try on!

Bath and Bodyworks – I solely go here for one thing: CANDLES!!!

Tjmaxx – though they don’t do Black Friday sales, I still love checking them out because they always have great gift options!

How to last throughout the night

Go to bed early.

Plan where you are going and what order – that determines what time you get up .

Hydrate!!! Have water and a few snacks in your car.

Have your list handy to cross off as you go.

Order a Peppermint Mocha. Do it.

Turn up the Christmas music on your way there and throughout the day!! Get in the Christmas mood!!

Don’t go over board – the dangerous thing about Black Friday is that you see all these amazing deals, however, you have a list for a reason. There’s nothing wrong with picking up a few things not on the list, but if you go to crazy, you will run out of money, and would have purchased things you don’t really need.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and family, and if you are going out tomorrow, have fun!!